I Didn’t Get The Job…

And It Was The Best Thing To Happen To Me.

Let me set the stage really quickly– I'm 16 years old and applying for a new job at Blockbuster.

I was confident in my qualifications and had even worked at another Blockbuster previously in high school as one of my three part-time jobs. In my mind, the job was a lock.

When I got the news back, I was shocked...

Blockbuster denied my application and hired someone else. It didn't make sense.

Something felt off about the whole situation, so I reached out to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They looked over the case and ruled it was, in fact, discrimination.

However, all they gave me was $1,000 and advice to find a new job.

I didn’t know what I was going to do.

I had an apartment, a car, a life I needed to pay for... How was I going to make ends meet?

Well, a few nights later, I had some of my first-generation Indian friends over– about 50 of them– and I had a realization. I could turn this into something.

I took the $1,000 I made in the settlement and started planning. I found a DJ who charged $300 to play a show, printed out 500 posters, and ran around Raleigh with a backpack full of the posters and a staple gun– plastering them all around the three major universities.

On the night of the event, I peered out of the front door of the venue and saw 200 kids wrapped around the venue. I charged $10 a person, and that was that… I officially hosted my very own event.

One event quickly turned into three events a month, and soon enough, I was an 18-year-old kid consistently bringing in $5-8k.

When I think back on this experience, the injustice of it all is very apparent, but there have been various moments like that throughout my life. Events that felt "catastrophic" when they occurred.

I have a saying that helps reframe my thoughts when what seems like a "world-ending" thing has happened.

I tell myself: "It's just an event."

This saying helps me shift my perspective and understand that whatever is happening around me is just a singular point in a particular moment. It often is not as important as it seems at the time.

As a kid, not getting a job felt like my world was about to crumble, but moving forward was essential to "getting back on track."

As an adult, it's the same thing. Dwelling delivers nothing new or helps you in any way.

So next time you feel something is an impossible roadblock, remember this: It's just an event. Take life's events as they are and realize the bigger picture will often overshadow life's minor obstacles.

-G aka ‘Don’t Dwell’ Patel